A ski brake of the above-mentioned type is described for example in Austrian Pat. No. 305 844 which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 3 715 126 (FIGS. 7 to 9). In this known construction, the pedal is constructed as a wire bar, the free ends of which are supported in a housing, wherein the housing has two laterally spaced-apart recesses on its two sides in the region of the shanks of the bar. Two extensions of the individual braking legs, which extensions are constructed as angled flaps, each are received in the recesses of the housing and are supported on swivel shafts defined by the shanks of the pedal bar which extend parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski in the retracted position. By swinging the ski brake from the retracted position into the braking position, the arms of the braking legs, which arms serve as braking mandrels are guided outwardly beyond the two lateral edges of the ski. Ski-fixed guide shoes are for this purpose associated with each braking leg adjacent the free end of each braking mandrel, which guide shoes cooperate with sloped surfaces on each braking mandrel. The entire housing is pivotally arranged about an axle which extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski and is supported on a ski-fixed base plate.
A base plate extends along the entire length of the braking legs. Stops are secured on the base plate, on which stops rest a pair of extensions of the braking mandrels in the retracted position of the ski brake, in order to prevent a rattling of the device during travel.
A disadvantage of this known ski brake consists in the necessity of requiring many cooperating structural parts in relationship to the structure, which causes the manufacturing process to be associated with high tolerance requirements and material expenses and the product itself is susceptible to malfunction. For example, a damage of the guide shoes can make the proper operation of the ski brake unsafe; it may even prevent operation in extreme cases. A further disadvantage consists in that during a pivoting of the ski brake from the retracted position into the braking position or vice versa, not only the braking legs and the pedal bar, but the entire housing must also be pivoted, which operation automatically results in the use of a stronger and thus also more expensive erecting spring. The housing is in the braking position of the ski brake pivoted with its entire front side at 90.degree. to the base plate, which front side lies in the downhill skiing position perpendicularly with respect to the upper surface of the ski and with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski and the pedal bar is positioned practically perpendicularly with respect to the upper surface of the ski. Stepping into a ski binding, which is equipped with such a ski brake, is complicated. A still further disadvantage of the known construction is that the width of the braking arms which act as braking mandrels is limited due to the construction in both directions.
The purpose of the invention is to provide a ski brake of the above-mentioned type such that only the position of the braking mandrels, which position is referred to the ski, is changed, when the ski brake is swung from the braking position into the ready position or vice versa.
The set purpose is inventively attained by the braking leg having at least one further bent segment, which is connected to a first segment and extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski brake, which segment is at the same time the swivel shaft for the entire braking leg.
Due to the fact that each braking leg can be rotated about the axis of a separate segment, which serves as a swivel shaft, the use of both a complicated housing and also the pivotal support of same is not required. Thus, it is possible to hold the ski brake in the braking position at an angle which is suitable for stepping in by the ski boot, which angle is in every case smaller than 90.degree.. An angle position of approximately 60.degree. is preferred.
A particularly preferable embodiment of the invention consists in each braking mandrel being pivotally supported in the retracted position of the ski brake above a plane which extends through the swivel shaft and lies approximately parallel with respect to the upper surface of the ski. This measure permits the braking mandrels to be supported in a position which is fully above the upper surface of the ski, without requiring additional structural parts. Furthermore this permits a practically unlimited spreading of the braking blades mounted on the braking mandrels in one direction (pointing away from the ski in the braking position of the ski brake).
It is furthermore important to the invention that the entire braking leg is constructed of one single wire which has at least two bends therein. Thus each braking leg can be manufactured simply and inexpensively. The individual braking legs can thus dimensioned exclusively corresponding to the loads which are produced through braking.
A still further development of the invention consists in the swivel shaft of the braking leg being loaded by forces applied to a dog. In a further development of this of the invention, the dog is preferably a wire extension which extends from the swivel shaft, is bent twice and is associated with the pedal, which extension is arranged preferably on the end of the swivel shaft which is remote from the first wire segment. Due to the fact that for pivoting of the braking leg from the braking position into the retracted position, an extension which is associated with the pedal of the ski brake is provided, each braking mandrel can assume the position, which is favorable and necessary for the retracted position or braking position, directly by operating the pedal.
According to a further characteristic of the invention, it is provided that each braking mandrel is supported pivotally against the force of a further spring in the retracted position of the ski brake in relationship to the associated braking leg. This measure favors the swivelling of each braking mandrel from the retracted position into the braking position, since through this the braking mandrels can be moved through spring force automatically into the braking position.
Further details, advantages and characteristics of the invention are discussed more in detail with reference to the drawings, which illustrate several exemplary embodiments.